Tattoo
by MoonytheMarauder1
Summary: Harry is not pleased with Teddy's new ink.


**A/N: Hey, y'all! This was written for the Hogwarts Eastern Funfair for the Ferris Wheel. My prompt: (character) Teddy Lupin**

 **Would just like to point out—Teddy got, you know. A starter tattoo. This is not his first. It's just the first visible one. Just so there's no confusion :)**

 **Word Count: 1391**

 **Thanks to my sister for beta'ing!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Those rights go to JK Rowling.**

 **Enjoy!**

Teddy winced at the pain in his neck. The needle vibrated unpleasantly against his skin, coupled by the sharp pinprick of pain as the small tool was dragged across his skin. He slowed his breathing, reminding himself of why he was doing this. It wasn't just the pain of the tattoo that was making him on edge, however; it was the thought of what his godfather and guardian, Harry Potter, would say when he saw it.

* * *

Teddy stared at the door to Harry's house nervously. It was the first time he'd been over since he'd moved out of Gran's two weeks before. It was also the first time he'd see Harry with the tattoo.

Teddy took a deep breath. He was seventeen; legally an adult. He was in charge of his life. He turned the doorknob. He may be a Hufflepuff, but there was a reason he was training to be an Auror.

Ginny, Harry's wife, looked up when he entered. "Hullo Teddy. I was just finishing up setting the table. Harry's in the kitchen if you want to see him." She frowned suddenly, her ginger brows furrowing. She eyed his brown hair worriedly— normally it was turquoise, or another vibrant color. "Everything all right?"

Teddy nodded, trying for a smile. "This is by choice. No worries."

She didn't look convinced, but let it slide. Teddy slid past her into the sitting room, where he knew the Potter kids would be.

James Sirius Potter looked up first, his hazel eyes lighting up when he saw his godbrother. "Wotcher Teddy! What's with the hair?"

Teddy shrugged in truth, he wanted to look as much like his father as possible in case Harry caused a fuss. "Just felt like going natural today."

Lily Luna Potter, the youngest, looked crestfallen. "So… no pig snouts today?"

Finally, Teddy gave a real grin. "Well, I didn't say _that_."

After a few minutes of entertaining them with ridiculous animal noses (during which they, mercifully, didn't notice his new ink), they were all called to dinner.

The family ate happily, but Teddy's palms were slick with sweat. Harry sat at one head of the table, Ginny at the other, and on his godfather's right was Lily, and then Teddy. Which meant that if Harry looked up, he'd be able to see the tattoo perfectly.

He shouldn't have worried, though— Harry spent most of dinner trying to engage James in a conversation about school, to no avail. At one point, Ginny began collecting plates so she could bring out dessert. When she got to him, her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of his neck. He braced himself for an explosion. Ginny leaned towards his ear.

"Love the tattoo, Teddy."

She walked away, leaving a more than relieved metamorphmagus in her wake. Ginny brought out some apple pie, and the occupants of the house dug in gratefully with a chorus of mumbled thanks.

"So, Teddy," Harry began, and Teddy's blood froze. "What's with the hair?"

Praying that his godfather was too busy with his pie to look up, he answered lightly, "Just wanted to go a bit more natural today."

Harry glanced up with a smile— which then dropped from his face. "Teddy— what's on your—"

Teddy shrugged, trying for nonchalance. "Magical tattoo. Wicked, isn't it? It was my birthday gift to myself."

Harry gaped at him as the Potter kids craned their necks to take a peek. Harry's green eyes were a bit dazed behind his glasses, and his black brows were furrowed.

"You... you got yourself a _tattoo_ for your birthday?

Teddy very nearly rolled his eyes. "No, I _paid_ someone to do it for me. I'm not stupid."

Harry stared at him for a few more beats. "Teddy? Can I have a word?"

Teddy did his best not to scowl as he followed his godfather out of the room. Ginny gave him a supportive smile as he walked by her, her brown eyes understanding. It gave Teddy courage.

Harry shut the door behind them, and then they were alone in the sitting room. Teddy clasped his hands behind his back awkwardly. Finally, Harry spoke.

"I can't believe you did this without telling me."

Anger flared up inside him. "I don't have to tell you everything," he shot back. "This is my body; I can do with it what I like. I'm of age, I don't need your permission to get a little tattoo."

Harry looked surprised and hurt, and if he wasn't so angry, he'd feel very guilty. He respected Harry a lot, loved him like a godfather or uncle, but it enraged him that his godfather felt he had a right to control his life, like he should be informed of any changes Teddy planned on making. It was a father's job to worry about him like this, to be angry that his son had gotten a tattoo without being consulted.

And Harry was not his father.

His godfather frowned sharply. "This is permanent, Teddy— and what if the needle wasn't clean? You could have gotten a terrible disease—"

Now Teddy really did roll his eyes, which shocked him on some level as he'd never done that to Harry before. "I'm not an idiot, Harry. I scouted out the place, read reviews— I was careful. It's healing just like it should, and I feel fine."

Harry crossed his arms. "Fine; say the needle was clean. You still spent a lot of money on that, money that would have been better spent on rent or groceries— and don't try to tell me that an Auror in training makes enough for plenty of spending money left over."

Teddy's hair flared red. "Harry! I _told_ you, I've been careful, I have plenty of gold for all that—"

"What's it even supposed to be, anyway? Whoever did it didn't do a great job of it."

"It's supposed to be cloudy and scabbed over, that's how it heals! And it's—" Teddy dighed, the fight draining out of him. "It's the moon. Changes with the phases. It just… I wanted to have an outward sign of him, to remind me of him, but also to show that I'm proud of my heritage."

Harry looked dumbstruck. Regret shone in his eyes. "Teddy, I…" He sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. "I'm sorry. I'm not… it's not the tattoo. It's that, for whatever reason, you didn't tell me about it. You've grown up so quickly, and it's been hard watching you distance yourself from me. Which I understand— like you said, you're an adult now, and having someone hover over you doesn't give you the independence or privacy you deserve. You used to tell me everything, and while I get that you don't have to let me in on every little detail in your life, a tattoo is no small thing. I... I never wanted to take Remus' place in your life, so I've always tried to five you space, but… Teddy, I promised him— and Tonks— that I'd look out for you. Being a parent, or godparent, I wanted to keep you from getting hurt— and you have to admit, a lot could have gone wrong."

Teddy shrugged, but his irritation had been soothed. "Yeah, but you have to trust me, Harry. I'm not just some dumb kid."

Harry nodded and put a hand on his godson's shoulder. "I know. I do trust you. I'm just getting used to you making all the big calls on your own." He paused, then added, eyebrows raised, "You know, I would've paid for it."

Now that was something Teddy wished he'd known. He groaned, and Harry laughed and ruffled his hair, which was turning back to turquoise. The two of them headed back to the kitchen, Harry's arm draped across Teddy's shoulders, even though the latter was an inch taller.

"Hey, Teddy?" Harry said quietly. The young metamorphmagus looked at his questioningly. "Your parents would be proud of you. They loved you a lot. You made them… happier than I'd ever seen them. You have no idea how glad I am that you're proud to be a Lupin. That means I did something right."

Teddy gave him a one-armed hug. "Yeah, you did."

After a few minutes of silence, Harry said, "Teddy? You were right. That _is_ a pretty wicked tattoo."


End file.
